1.31.2009

A little shameless promotion today; I'm officially hanging up my shingle as a professional event planner. Got myself a business license this week and am currently the party coordinator for Andrew's Playroom. I already have a ballerina party booked for March, and starting in February, we are having an open house/Family Night where we'll be showcasing each of the different party themes we'll be offering. We'll be starting off with The Sweetest Thing, born of all the fab candy-inspired themes I have come across.

We'll be working on getting photos up of 11 themes, then replace with party photos.

1.30.2009

If You’ve Been Kissed By Cupid…Invite a mix of sweethearts and singles to your love nest for a Dessert and Cocktails Party.

FoodCheck out my Dessert Partyfor some great tips. My biggest tip would be to stick to foods that don’t require much silverware - mini brownie bites, cheesecake bites, etc. People want to mingle, not try to balance eating off a plate with a fork.

Use cookie cutters to shape ice cream sandwiches into hearts, and roll the edges in red sprinkles.

Signature cocktailsTry a Celestial Fizz; cognac, Grand Marnier and cranberry juice, a Sweetheartcocktail made from fresh strawberries and strawberry liqueur, or chocolate martinis complete with chocolate syrup to coat rim of martini glass.

Turn off the volume and have a tear-jerker playing in background; classics like Casablanca or An Affair to Remember, or more recent flicks like Love Actually, or Sweet Home Alabama.

Play Spin the Bottle where players take a kiss, tell the truth, do a dare or take a drink.

PlaylistGet everyone in the mood with such ballads as the before-mentioned "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel, John Mayer's "Your Body is a Wonderland", Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love", "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles, and the oh-so-not-subtle "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye.

FavorsHave a heart or lip-shaped piñatafilled with chocolate coins, condoms, small bottles of body paint and other adult goodies.

1.29.2009

Wished I found these a little earlier......look closer.....the master model designers at Legoland California has done it again. Check out the rest of the photos; the creative genius covers everything from the President's motorcade, down to the Port-a-Potty line. I'm just waiting for one of my kids to bust this out in our living room!

1.28.2009

Yeah, I'm late, but like I say, "It's new to me". Check out this absolutely, positively "Why didn't I think of that" cool centerpiece idea from Rachel Ray. Can you see the possibilities? Spring flowers, mini pumpkins, poinsettias, plastic toys....Hello, Jell-O!

1.27.2009

Grr, one more Tip for today, I promise, and it's a giveaway so how can you go wrong? Want a new pillow to snuggle up with? Check out the Valentine's Day Contest from 2Modernand win a Thomas Paul Pillow.

To enter, leave a post describing what special thing you are doing for your Valentine this year. They will post the winner's name with instructions for collecting your prize, on Valentine's Day.

Are you still struggling with the look of your Game Day tabletop, even afterthis post? The brillant "Why Didn't I Think Of That" ladies at Paper and Cake have a downloadable tablescapeto take the work off your shoulders. The PDF set includes game day invitations (a little late for them, but how cute are they?) beer bottle charms that also double as cupcake pics, a pennant garland, party food labels, wine glass tags, and napkin rings.

Did you resolve this New Year to leave a smaller carbon footprint, and the world better than you found it? Check out these user-friendly, eco-savvy cleaning products and tips to making Mother Earth a little better for all of us!

For YourselfInstead of different bars or bottles of body wash, try a liquid body cleanser, made from 100% biodegradable ingredients like Kiehl's Aloe Vera cleanser.

Instead of shampoo filled with foaming agents and other chemicals, check out Frederic Fekkai Au Naturel, which is infused with beneficial essential oils and organic ingredients, no synthetic fragrance, dyes, and additives and also comes packaged in a bottle made with 40% recycled materials.

1.25.2009

Looking for a brew to set the right mood for a romantic morning in bed? Ordinary orange juice seems a bit commonplace for Valentine's Day. Try blood oranges, which have a crimson pulp, for a rich flavor and sexy tint. Save the good stuff for dinner; a sparkling wine is perfect to mix with.

1. Cut each orange in half, using a hand juicer to squeeze the pulp from each orange half into the pitcher. Use the spoon to remove any seeds or unwanted pulp. (Tip: Juice the night before and keep refrigerated).

1.23.2009

For some people, there is no crueler day than Valentine's Day. Once upon a time (or two) I found myself alone during that wretched time. All the hearts, paper cupid cutouts, and over-priced-restaurant-couple deals was sickening to say the least. Yes, we get it, you have a sweetie, UGH! Even while married, deployments have caused a few dateless holidays, and I hid out, unable to bear the shameless displays of affection that seem to come out of the woodwork that day.

Being single (by choice or circumstance) on Valentine's Day shouldn't make you feel like an exhibit in a freakshow; people pointing and staring, inviting you to be their "third wheel", trying to fix you up with a loser they would never consider the other 364 days of the year, etc. etc. Take charge and throw an event every couple you know will be envious of. Get your single gals and guys together, and....

If You Think Cupid’s Stupid…Host an Ex-orcism
Have everyone bring pictures of their most dastardly exes and let the ex-games begin! When guests arrive, give them each a heart cutout on which to write an embarrassing tidbit of ex-trivia, from "He has a few 'bedroom problems' " to “Her breath was kickin' like judo!" Have guests guess which juicy morsel goes with which ex.

Name That Song
Play down-on-love Charades with a selection of lyrics from tunes like, Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With it", "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood, or Beyonce's "Irreplacable".

Create "art" on your ex
Using their pictures, hand out some permanent markers and go crazy. Give them titles like, "My Ex Without Me" or "Without Make-up". A prize should be awarded for the best work of art.

Another fun activity - Write out your ex's full name, and create an acronym. For example: Clown-like, Hairy chest,Rude,Ignorant, Slovenly.

Playlist
Take comfort in these "inspirationals"; Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone", "Cry Me a River" and "What Goes Around...Comes Back Around" by Justin Timberlake, Amy Winehouse's "Love Is A Losing Game" and of course Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name".

FoodSet up a "Cheesy Valentine’s Day" spread. Set up a fondue station of your favorite cheeses with veggies and cubes of crusty garlic bread, so there is no chance of anyone trying to hook up at your party. Serve on this party set.

Line up bottles of your favorite spirits and label them Love Potions numbers 1- 8. Class up the joint with your own cool shoot glasses. Check out Fred's Cool Shootersfill and chill molds.Favors
Steepster has great "Forget Him" tea packs. Bitterness reigns supreme over at Despair.com with their BitterSweets, featuring three unique collections - "Dejected", "Dysfunctional", and "Dumped". Candies are printed with such lovely gems as U LEFT SEATUP, BACK 2 KENNEL, and CELIB8 THX2U.

1.22.2009

So, FINALLY my Internet is up and running again, apparently some unknown outage caused serious problems. I'm so glad I like to do my posts a few days ahead, wouldn't want the leave the public hanging. :) So I'm back now, and seriously need to get business squared away.

My copy of Entertaining Simple by Matthew Mead I won a few months back from Tastefully Entertaining has arrived, and let me tell you, totally worth it to run out and get, plus with no Internet I read it cover to cover.So honored and thrilled; thanks to Chris at Celebrations At Home and Jamee at Setting The Mood With Jamee, for tagging me for a Blog LUV award. Now, here's my chance to pass the LUV on. I love these blogs, chock full of wonderful pix and party inspirations! And don't let the wedding blogs scare you, I love to scale down their ideas, after all they are still a party, just with alot more people.

So to you chosen few, please follow these instructions and share the LUV!1. Put the logo on your blog or post. (You can highlight the photo and text of this post and copy/paste wherever you need to)

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received the award.

And lastly, fellow LUVer, Bakerella is having a Pick Mii Out and Wii-n Giveaway for a chance to win a Nintendo Wii system! Go check it out! And how fab are the cupcakes she made? The boy is sweating me for a video game birthday party and I wonder if she takes orders, because there is NO way I would even attempt these.

1.21.2009

I did a post awhile back about apple themed parties, and I'm still loving the green Apple of My Eye party. What a unique and fresh theme for a spring wedding, whereas red apples are more suited for a fall event. Be careful with this color and motif, a little goes a long way!

A pretty favor idea; crisp-apple scents are part of this beautiful soap, created with fragrance oil, hand cut and wrapped in handmade paper.

1.19.2009

I love Chris Rock. I love Dave Chappelle. Pretty much any comedian who hits the nail on the head. Everytime I think of MLK Day, I remember Rock's bit about Tupac and Biggie from his HBO special Bigger and Blacker.....

" 'I'm watching the news … Tupac Shakur was assassinated, Biggie Smalls assassinated, struck down by assassin's bullets … no, they wasn't. Martin Luther King was assassinated, Malcolm X was assassinated, John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Them two [brothas] got shot! [Damn], I love Tupac, I love Biggie, but school will be open on their birthday.' "

On a serious note, remember the dream, more poignant now on the eve of an historical event.

1.18.2009

So the last D.O.W. was a colorful shooter for your inaugural celebration, I'm tempted to squeeze in a few more ideas before the big day on Tuesday; simple yet perfect recipes for all those champagne bottles you have left from New Year's. Set up a self-serve bar, and let revelers choose from among the following....

1.17.2009

If you haven't discovered Little MissMatched, you are missing a treat. The site's design alone is exciting, maybe it's because I have boys and my step-daughter is getting too old for me to dress her up?

Anyhoo, besides all of the cuteness, they are having a design contest. Her signature design is making fun and colorful socks that don't match and come in packs of 3 so that you can mix it up however you want. They are looking for a new design to put on one's toesies. The grand prize winning design will go into production and be part of her collection for sale to the public, $500 and five packs of your winning socks.

Some of my faves from their site...and get this, their 6-drawer dresser has a glossy white dry-erase finish so one can draw on the whole dresser with dry erase markers, then erase and start again. Plus, each drawer has two circle handles that can be filled with your favorite combination of patterns, colors and photos using my reversible or clear panels.

1.15.2009

Let the men be men, and get the girls together for Super Bowl-ing Sunday, for a great afternoon of bitchin' and bowling. Some are very serious about their bowling, but for the rest of us, bowling is kitschy, retro and cute, plus the shoes can be so comfy.

1.13.2009

One of my favorite sites, Thoughtfully Simple, has posted an article chockful of inspiration for your next sweet-tooth gathering. Plus, to make it even more interesting, to help you get your sweet party on, one reader will win a $25.00 gift certificate to Beau-Coup! I've done many a post including their amazing favors, and now's your chance to share my love. Head over for full details!

1.12.2009

I love searching the web and discovering fab products. Today, I'm sharing all these great stationery finds. I love to receive personal notes; email has it's place, but it can be impersonal sometimes.1. Ah, the yumminess of Joy by Mel Lim; their Joy Signature Flower Gold is packaged letterpress cards, with a handmade tray wrapped in ultrasuede.2. The Lilac assorted gift set includes a notepad, business card holder and letterpress cards.3. Good for you and the environment; a vintage engraving of a red strawberry, letterpress printed on recycled natural paper with recycled kraft envelopes.4. Why is this kangaroo smoking? Don't know, but he is letterpressed on 100% cotton.Sarah & Abraham have a number of personalized stationery, including 5. this fun children's flat card, and 6. one for yourself.

1.11.2009

One of the most historical inaugurations is coming up fast, so don't let D.C. be the only happenin' party! Get things off right with the classic Stars and Stripes, courtesy of Barnonedrinks.com

Ingredients1/3 oz. grenadine1/3 oz. blue Curaçao1/3 oz. heavy cream

Layer ingredients carefully, in order given, so each ingredient floats on the preceding one. Slowly pour alcohol along long stemmed cocktail spoon or stirrer, and be sure it is touching the side of glass. It may take a while to perfect, but isn't drinking your mistakes half the fun?

Send this list in your invitations to set the mood...(courtesy of Evite)

• Dress in red. Crimson clothing is said to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.• Open doors and windows, weather permitting. This lets the old year out and helps good luck find its way into your home.• Keep lights turned on to scare away any ghosts and bad spirits.• Don’t wash your hair—you could inadvertently wash away good fortune.• Avoid mentioning the past. Keep the focus on the new beginning offered by this brand-new year.

Check out The Gospel According to Party Basics for New Nesters; they have a Lunar New Year party outlined with great details like dancing lanterns to greet your guests, simple no-sew napkin ideas, and origami parasols similar to these.

Setting the Scene*Use red ribbon to wrap around the branches of any indoor plants.*For added flare, dust gold confetti over a black tablecloth covered with red and gold candles.*Peonies symbolize love, affection and beauty and are known in China as “Flowers of Riches and Honor.” Float them in glass bowls or sprinkle them across your table. Or try stringing a flower garland to ornament your mantels or doorways.*Let red and black balloons tied with long gold ribbons drift along the ceiling.*Line your walkway with traditional Chinese lanterns to draw light and luck straight into your home.

Need party supplies? Asian Ideas.com has a plethora to suit your needs, including Year of the Ox products like red envelopestraditionally used to hold an even amount of money.

The MunchiesLook no further than this list of recipesfrom Epicurious.com as you invite friends to share a meal that mixes all sorts of Asian symbolism and taste.

A heads up from a fellow blogger has uncovered a gem; a paper flower tutorial from from Martha many years ago has been revived! Check outDozi's DIY tutorialfor this seriously easy centerpiece idea...or them scatter along the table...or a few larger ones clustered together as a gift topper...you could run this idea delightfully far. I wonder if could you make this out of stiff felt? I'm going to have to try.

1.06.2009

Back in the day, I was a chunky bracelet fiend (along with huge matching earrings). It helped to live in a warm area, where short-sleeves and pulled-back hair is the uniform.

Once I started having kids, jewelry-wearing was down to studded earrings, as anything flashy or dangly was promptly yanked and/or put into the mouth. Since I'm allergic to cheap jewelry, (really! I'm allergic to nickel, the common component of cheap jewelry), sterling silver has always been one of my metals of choice. Ah, now if I could only afford these beauties, but alas, gotta keep the kids fed.

1.05.2009

Ack! Once again, PBK sucks me in, and makes me want to buy up the store. Why, why, why? I'm loving this room, especially, since the little one is starting to truly appreciate the humor of his Dr. Seuss books.

I'm so getting into wall decals, and I L...O...V...E these! Check out their fun bedding and art panels.

Once again, up late last night, watching E! and Chelsea Lately, who to me, started off like another person from a funny show, getting their own not-so-funny show. But now it's growing on me. How was I missing their dead-on impersonations of the not-so-talented-sister of Lindsey Lohan and her equally untalented mother? Anderson Cooper knew just what he was talking about. Ah Anderson....anyways, look up the other clips, this is just the "season" finale.

Chill a martini glass, then rub the rim of the glass with the orange wedge. Roll the sticky rim in the gold leaf to coat lightly. Pour vodka, Triple Sec and sake into an ice-filled cocktail shaker, shake, strain, then pour into the martini glass.

1.03.2009

So, my absolutely, positively, craft-awe-inspiring friend sent me a few pix of this adorable diaper cake and matching bag she made for a friend, and of course, I would shamelessly promote her. Especially since everyone loved her other diaper cakes. I keep telling her she needs to go into business, with my 20% cut of course.

1.02.2009

I thought it would be appropriate for the first Fiesta Friday of the New Year to be about first birthdays. A simple activity, yummy food and a great cake are usually enough to make a birthday enjoyable for young party guests. It's going to be those special little touches that establish the party’s theme and make it stand out.

Set the tone and then seal the deal by sending your guests home with an equally appropriate favor. A little inspiration from Parents.com and my own two cents should make baby's first blowout a blast!FirefighterMany a baby loves the big red noisy fire truck and will thrill to see a birthday bash in this theme. A firefighter party is easy to put together. And firefighters appeal to a broad age range, so this is a good pick for a party that will have older siblings in attendance.Hello! tiny print's fire truck party invite is sure to capture guests' attention with vibrant hues of yellow and rich red.Goodbye!Red plastic firefighter hats from Oriental Trading or a party supply store is perfect for a young age group.

SuperheroOkay, this theme is twice as much fun for the parents and a good one to pick if your guest list is going to include a lot of dads. Ask your guests to bring their little ones dressed as a favorite superhero, past or present.Hello! Another fab invite from tiny prints, comic-book inspired.Activity - Photo op with a Superhero. Using a Polaroid instant camera, capture mini Superman and Wonder Woman on film. Superheroes can pose alone or in groups.Goodbye! Create magnet picture frames for their photos.

Making the BandBe sure to invite the neighbors -- this party is a noisy one! Babies love to make music and you can plan a party around that activity that'll be a blast. To make sure everyone has fun, have plenty of instruments on hand.Hello! A fun music-themed ideafrom Ten Fingers and Toes.Goodbye! Musical instruments like these plastic handled jingle stick cymbals. Keep it simple, so long as it can stand up to a good banging from baby.

King/Queen for a DayThis makes a good choice for an event where many of the guests will be too tiny to truly party. The mood will be festive and the party favors fun, but the little ones won't have to do much more than sit around and be cute.Hello!An invitefit for a king or queen; includes a die-cut crown embellishment with jewels.Goodbye!Darling crown cookiesfrom Pink CakeBox.

Sesame StreetAn easy baby/toddler favorite. Sesame Street provides baby's first celebrities, and a party devoted to Elmo and friends is sure to be a hit.Hello! These Sesame Street invites let you pick which favorite character to focus on.Goodbye!Board books like these from your local dollar store are fun and durable.

Bouncy PartyClear out a room and fill it will balls of all sizes (larger than a golf ball to avoid choking hazards, then let them at them!Hello! Gather your child's "circle" of friends with an invitation in the round.Goodbye! A few of these ball-pit ballsare perfect to keep little guests active.

1.01.2009

My all-time favorite holiday movie, Trading Places, has the scenes that play in my head everytime someone says "Happy New Year"

Billy Ray: [posing as "Nenge Mboko," an exchange student from Cameroon] Merry New Year!Beeks: That's "happy." In this country we say "Happy New Year."Billy Ray: Oh, ho, ho, thank you for correcting my English which stinks!

And the other favorite scene is when Dan Aykroyd's character Louis Winthorpe III, hilariously pretending to be an African/Jamaican man named Lionel Joseph with his skin was painted dark and a horrible dredlock wig and cap...ah the 80's. (starts at 3:01)